Maleme is a village of Chania Crete, it is situated 16 kms from the town of Chania and it is submitted to Municipality of Platanias. Maleme village is well known for its history, the sightseeing, the clean and beautiful beaches and the tourism infrastructure. Its habitants are known for their Cretan hospitality and willingly will assist you if you need their help.

At Maleme is also located the “Airport of Maleme” which the most fearsome and important battle in the history of “Battle of Crete” during the Second World War took place on.

Today, Maleme is a modern touristic village with well organized tourism infrastructure and Travel Services. In Maleme you can also find medical office, pharmacy, hotels and apartments, car rental agencies tavernas, restaurants, gas station, super market, mini market, bakery and souvenir shop.

Maleme beach

The ideal place for sun tanning, relaxing and romantic evenings watching the sunset. The beach of Maleme is a part of the continuous beach of 16 kms from Chania city to Kolymbari village. It is one of the beaches of Municipality of Platanias which have been awarded with blue flag, the official certification for clean and safe coasts.

Part of the beach is well organized with sun beds and umbrellas and you can enjoy your swim comfortably and under the shadow. If you prefer quiet you can go to the other part which is not crowded. The plaz is half stone and half sand and the water is clear. Also, there is a lifeguard that watches over the beach during the day. In Maleme beach you can find hotels, appartments and studios for rent. Above the plaz there is an excellent pedestrian road where you can have a romantic and peaceful evening walk. Moreover, there are many sea view restaurants, tavernas and bars where you can have a lunch after your swim or a dinner watching the sunset. From the beach you can see Theodorou or Agioi Theodoroi Island. Theodorou is not inhabited and it is a preservation area of the Cretan wild goat (Kri Kri). Agioi Theodoroi and Samaria Gorge are natural preservation parks and the two last places that this spiece exists.

Sightseeings in Maleme

Maleme village is not only known for its’ tourism infrastructure in the summer but also for its’ history. Its’ history starts from the late Minoan Era and continues to the Second World War with the battle of Crete and the battle in Maleme’s airfield. Also, in Maleme you will see Orthodox Churches and many monuments concerning the WWII.

More than 15000 German soldiers lost their lives during the Second World War in the Greek territory. The German military cemetery in Maleme (Deutschen Soldatenfriedhof in Maleme) is one of the two cemeteries in Greece where the graves of German soldiers are. The other cemetery is the German military cemetery Dionysus – Rapentozis in Attica.

The German cemetery is near Maleme airport on the north coast of Crete, 20 km western of Chania city and one kilometer above the village of Maleme. From here one can see far into the deep blue bay of Chania. Towards the west olive orchards line the hillsides all the way down to the winding Tavronitis river. Far beyond one can see the outline of the Monastery of Gonia. In the south the “White Mountains” Range rises up to 2.450 m. The basic idea of the memorial was to design the graveyard for the fallen soldiers according to the four main battle grounds of Maleme, Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion.

The cemetery was founded in 1974 by the former German commander Gericke. At this area are buried 4.465 German soldiers who lost their lives in the island of Crete most of them were paratroopers who died during the invasion.

The care of the cemetery is done by the “The German Graves Commission” (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge eV), a private association based in Kassel, ordered by the German government. The association has taken care of such cemeteries across the world.

How to get there: First of all you must be on the old national road Chania-Kissamos (the main road of Maleme). 1) Direction Maleme to Kolympari, after you pass the Hotel Mikes on the main road of Maleme it is the first street on the left, you will see also Sunny Suites hotel at the corner, drive south for about 500 meters and then you will see a sign saying German War Cemetery at right follow the road and aftyer 1km you will find it. 2) Direction from Kolympari to Maleme, after you pass Maleme airport you will see a blue EKO gas station after the EKO it is the Sunny Suites hotel, over there turn right and follow the road as described above. When you arrive there is a free parking area to park your car. Important, the cemetery is open all year.

Minoan Tholos Tomp

Minoan Tomp in Maleme

The tomb was randomly discovered in the beginning of the 20th century. It is a remarkable built tomb of the late Minoan period. The burial chamber is 4 meters height, has a square floor plan and resulted in a pyramid roof. To enter the tomb you walk a passing of 14 meters with walls of lined rough stones and a reddish coating used to cover the floor. The entrance is 2 meter height and 1.6 meter width. Though, many findings were stolen when the tomb discovered, several shells and two seals have been found. The one seal was of cooper and the other from agate depicting a deer.

In 1944 the tomb was bombed and that partially collapsed the roof and filled the chamber with dirt. In 1966 the tomb was excavated by the Superintended of Antiquities K. Davaras and in 1970 the restoration work started. The tomb is situated 17 km west of Chania, on the hill Kafkala.

How to get there: First of all you must be on the old national road Chania-Kissamos (the main road of Maleme). 1) Direction from Maleme to Kolympari, after you pass the Hotel Mikes on the main road of Maleme it is the first street on the left, you will see also Sunny Suites hotel at the corner, drive south for about 500 meters and the you will see a sign saying German War Cemetery at right follow the road and after 700m you will find it. 2) Direction from Kolympari to Maleme, after you pass Maleme airport you will see a blue EKO gas station after the EKO it is the Sunny Suites hotel, over there turn right and follow the road as described above. The road to Minoan Tomb is the same with the road to the German Cemetery. Important, you can visit the Tomp all year round.

Hill- Height 107

Height-Hill 107 Maleme

Height 107 is located at Kaukales hill in Maleme village. During the Second World War that spot was of great importance. Whoever controlled the “107 Height” controlled the airport of Maleme and the area surrounding it. When the Germans took over the spot actually they took over the whole island of Crete. The view from there is magnificient and next to the cross is the graphic church made of stone of Agiou Konstantinou (Saint Constantine).

How to get there: First of all you must be on the old national road Chania-Kissamos (the main road of Maleme). 1) Direction Maleme to Kolympari, after you pass the Hotel Mikes on the main road of Maleme it is the first street on the left, you will see also Sunny Suites hotel at the corner, drive south for about 500 meters and then you will see a sign saying German War Cemetery there continue straight (do not turn right) after 1.5 km you will see a sign saying Vlacheronitissa, 300 meters after you pass the sign there is a road delta, turn right and after a while you are there. 2) Direction from Kolympari to Maleme, after you pass Maleme airport you will see a blue EKO gas station after the EKO it is the Sunny Suites hotel, over there turn right and follow the road as described above.